ScaleUp Radio

This ScaleUp Radio episode is a ScaleUp Club special — recorded live in February — and it's packed with practical ideas you can apply immediately.

Kevin Brent opens with the month's theme: gaining control of your week, moving away from reactive firefighting and towards deliberate, high-value leadership time. You'll hear a simple framework to help you protect the work that really moves the business forward, rather than letting your diary become "a democracy".

Then we switch gears into a short AI Pulse update from Paul Rhodes, founder of Green Gorilla Software, who shares a genuinely useful productivity shift: stop typing and start talking. Paul explains why AI needs context, why dictation creates richer prompts, and how tools like Granola and WhisperFlow can turn messy spoken thoughts into structured, usable output.

Finally, we move into a live Q&A session with Ryan Slaney, Managing Director of iLockerz, who shares the realities of scaling a product business — including the mistake that "nearly killed" them: trying to build the perfect product from day one. Ryan talks candidly about payroll reality, customer-led development, the value of weekly all-hands alignment, and spotting issues early through "Potential Red Flags".

You'll hear:

• How to redesign your week around green time (strategic), red time (operational) and grey time (low value)
• Why you must put the rocks in first (or the sand will swallow your week)
• Paul's AI Pulse: why dictation creates better prompts and faster output
• Ryan's hard-won lesson: MVP, revenue and feedback loops beat perfection
• A simple scaling discipline: weekly all-hands, shared visibility and "PRFs" before they become fires

Quick heads-up — we're looking for a handful of founders to test our new AI-powered Smart90 Lite app. It's built to help you stay accountable and actually deliver on your goals — in just a few minutes a day. It's free while we're in testing, and your feedback will directly shape the final version. You can get access by emailing [email protected].

Make sure you don't miss any future episodes by subscribing to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts - and why not give us a follow.

For now, continue listening for the full discussion with Ryan.

Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.

If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here:

https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin

You can get in touch with Kevin here:

[email protected]

Kevin's Book Is Here!

Drawing on BizSmart's own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.

More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/

Ryan can be found here:

https://www.ilockerz.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanslaney/

[email protected]

Hi there and welcome back to another edition of ScaleUp Radio, the podcast brought to you by Smart90, inspired by the Entrepreneurial ScaleUp System and designed to make navigating our ScaleUp journeys that little bit easier by learning from others' experiences. I'm Kevin Brent and in today's episode I'm joined by Benjie Hughes, founder of Hopeless Marketing.

Benjie works with B2B service businesses turning over between one and thirty million pounds who feel stuck, plateaued or unclear about their positioning. His philosophy is simple but powerful; hope is not a strategy. Most businesses do not need more marketing. They need more clarity.

In this episode we explore his Ice Pick Strategy; why being focused and sharp beats being broad and busy; and we talk honestly about the challenge of separating the founder from the business. Benjie shares how he scaled his first company to run without him, and why his current business requires a very different approach, including hiring a fractional COO for accountability.

As always, our discussion is structured in three parts. First, we look at the business, the model and where it sits on the ScaleUp journey. Second, we explore Benjie's perspective on the challenges of scaling, including growth plateaus and founder psychology. And finally, we close with a few quickfire questions.

One standout message from this episode is this: most marketing problems are not visibility problems; they are clarity problems.

Quick heads-up; we're looking for a handful of founders to test our new AI-powered Smart90 Lite app. It's built to help you stay accountable and actually deliver on your goals in just a few minutes a day. It's free while we're in testing, and your feedback will directly shape the final version. You can get access by emailing [email protected].

Make sure you don't miss any future episodes by subscribing to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts - and why not give us a follow.

For now, continue listening for the full discussion with Benjie.

Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.

If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here:

https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin

You can get in touch with Kevin here:

[email protected]

Kevin's Book Is Here!

Drawing on BizSmart's own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.

More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/

Benjie can be found here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjiehughes/

https://hopelessmarketing.com/unvisible

Resources:

E-Myth Revisited by Michael E Gerber - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-e-myth-revisited-why-most-small-businesses-don-t-work-and-what-to-do-about-it-michael-e-gerber/82114?ean=9780887307287&next=t

Predictable Success by Les McKeown - https://www.waterstones.com/book/predictable-success/les-mckeown/9781608320318

Getting Things Done by David Allen - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/getting-things-done-the-art-of-stress-free-productivity-david-allen/2593335?ean=9780349408941&next=t

Remarkable - https://remarkable.com/

Welcome back to ScaleUp Radio Shorts, where Kevin Brent and Louise Blunt distil the best insights from our recent full-length interviews and turn them into practical, actionable takeaways for ambitious business owners.

This week, we're bringing together two very different voices with a surprisingly aligned message:

• Jack Molyneux – former Merchant Navy Master Mariner turned tech founder, building a disruptive superyacht platform, IDOSY.

• Lindsey Burden – Intuitive Business Coach with over a decade of experience helping founders stop overcomplicating and start executing.

Different industries. Different journeys. The same core lesson: scaling successfully comes down to clarity, courage and focused execution.

1. Simplicity Scales. Complexity Distracts.

Jack built IDOSY around a clear mission: fix a broken, opaque system in the superyacht charter industry. His entire platform centres on three things:

Live price. Live availability. Live booking.

In an industry dominated by phone calls, PDFs and delayed email chains, that simplicity is the disruption.

Lindsey shared the flip side. In her early days, she described herself as the "Queen of Overcomplication". Busy work felt productive. Complexity created the illusion of progress.

But when business owners panic, they often abandon the plan and chase shiny objects. A new platform. A new offer. A new strategy. Instead of staying focused on the destination, they start reprogramming the sat-nav mid-journey.

The lesson? Simplicity creates traction. Complexity creates noise.

2. The Right Team Will Challenge You

Jack made a powerful point about leadership: as a founder, you must have someone around you who is prepared to say no.

Founders are persuasive. Vision-driven. Convincing. But without challenge, conviction can turn into blind spots.

Having led crews of over 100 people as a Master Mariner, Jack understands operational discipline. In a scaling business, strong teams aren't just compliant. They question. They test. They refine.

Lindsey sees this transition from another angle. When you move from solopreneur to employer, you quickly realise:

• No one will care quite as much as you.

• You cannot hire only "doers".

• You need a mix of reliable executors and people who think, lead and innovate.

Scaling requires a shift in identity. From being the person with all the answers… To being the person who sets the intent and trusts others to execute.

3. The 90-Day Sweet Spot

One of the strongest overlaps between both conversations was execution rhythm.

Lindsey is a huge advocate of 90-day planning. She calls it the sweet spot:

• Long enough to deliver meaningful results

• Short enough to stay focused and accountable

Without that rhythm, founders get trapped in what she calls the "octopus business" – tentacles everywhere, constant activity, little progress.

Jack demonstrated this mindset in action when raising capital. Instead of being overwhelmed by the enormity of fundraising, he broke it down step by step.

His advice? Start with friends and family.

If you cannot convince the people who know and trust you, persuading strangers will be even harder. It builds confidence, momentum and belief.

And when the rejections come, as they always do, remember:

Every "no" is one step closer to the next "yes".

4. Pricing, Confidence and Backing Yourself

Lindsey delivered some tough but essential advice on pricing.

When things get quiet, the temptation is to drop your prices or accept the wrong-fit clients for quick cash. But that decision shapes your future pipeline.

Do premium work at bargain prices and you attract more bargain buyers.

She challenges founders to stop pricing by the hour. Clients do not pay for time. They pay for outcomes. They care about getting from A to B, not how many hours it takes.

Her practical tip for selling high-ticket services:

"Nail your pricing, say it with confidence, and then don't say another word."

Confidence is built through repetition. Through experience. Through backing yourself.

Which mirrors Jack's advice to his younger self:

Back yourself. Be brave. It's okay if people don't like it.

He also challenged the idea of overprotecting your concept. You do not have a business until you build it. Talking about your idea creates momentum. Silence does not.

The One Key Thing

The one key thing this week:

Focus on execution over emotion. Keep it simple, commit to a 90-day rhythm, price with confidence, and back yourself even when it feels uncomfortable.

Standout Message

"You can have 100% of nothing, or you can start talking to people and see what happens."

Quick Heads-Up: Smart90 Lite

We're currently looking for a handful of founders to test our new AI-powered Smart90 app.

It's built to help you stay accountable and actually deliver on your goals in just a few minutes a day. It's free while we're in testing, and your feedback will directly shape the final version.

If you would like early access, take a look at smart90.co.uk

In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Jack Molyneux, Founder of IDOSY – a new digital marketplace set to disrupt the superyacht charter industry.

Jack's journey is anything but conventional. From qualifying as a Master Mariner at just 26 and commanding cruise ships and superyachts around the world, to managing fleets of luxury yachts for a family office, and now launching the first live-booking superyacht platform – this is a true ScaleUp story grounded in deep operational credibility.

IDOSY launches mid-April with a bold ambition: to bring live pricing, live availability and instant booking to a market that still runs on emails, brokers and PDF brochures.

And yes – it is as complex as it sounds.

Our discussion is structured in three parts. First, we explore the business, the model and where IDOSY sits on its ScaleUp journey. Second, we dig into Jack's views on the real challenges of scaling, including raising capital from industry insiders and navigating complex global regulations. And third, we close with a few quickfire questions.

One standout message from this episode is this: if you are going to disrupt a market, you need deep operational understanding before you digitise it.

Quick heads-up — we're looking for a handful of founders to test our new AI-powered Smart90 Lite app. It's built to help you stay accountable and actually deliver on your goals in just a few minutes a day. It's free while we're in testing, and your feedback will directly shape the final version. You can get access by emailing [email protected].

Make sure you don't miss any future episodes by subscribing to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts and why not give us a follow.

For now, continue listening for the full discussion with Jack.

Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.

If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here:

https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin

You can get in touch with Kevin here:

[email protected]

Kevin's Book Is Here!

Drawing on BizSmart's own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.

More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/

Jack can be found here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-m-3580bb7b/

https://www.idosyyachts.com/

Resources:

Close To The Wind by Pete Goss - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/close-to-the-wind-an-extraordinary-story-of-triumph-over-adversity-pete-goss/2215269?ean=9780747259381&next=t

Turn The Ship Around by L. David Marquet - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/turn-the-ship-around-a-true-story-of-building-leaders-by-breaking-the-rules-l-david-marquet/3549368?ean=9780241250945&next=t

Diary of a CEO podcast - https://stevenbartlett.com/doac/

In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, host Kevin Brent is joined by experienced business coach Lindsey Burden, whose intuitive and deeply personalised approach to coaching breaks the mould of cookie-cutter programmes. Lindsey helps her clients build a business that aligns with their version of success, not someone else's template.

Whether you're overwhelmed by doing too much, struggling to price your services confidently, or need to make your goals more achievable, this conversation is packed with sharp insights and practical tools to move your business forward.

Key Themes in This Episode

Tailored Coaching Based on Intuition

Lindsey shares how she tunes into the unspoken, body language, word choices, hesitations, to help clients uncover the real blocks to growth. Her coaching isn't about handing over a rigid system; it's about building a flexible path around the client's unique strengths and context.

Standout Quote: "The problem isn't usually that you need to do more, it's that you've forgotten what works and stopped doing it."

Avoiding the Busy Trap

Busy doesn't always mean productive. Many founders fall into the trap of overcomplication or jumping onto the next trend (new channels, shiny tools), when the real power comes from simplifying and refocusing.

Strategic Pricing & Confident Selling

Discounting under pressure is a quick road to burnout. Lindsey's advice? Price based on the value and outcomes you deliver, not the hours. Start with a figure you can say confidently, then stop talking.

The Power of 90-Day Planning

Long-term goals feel overwhelming; 90-day plans create the perfect runway. Lindsey explains how this rhythm helps bring structure to entrepreneurial creativity, so you stop half-finishing great ideas and start delivering real progress.

Building the Right Team

The founder mindset must evolve, leading a team takes intentional effort. Lindsey shares tips on balancing operators and innovators in your team, and why reaching out to HR experts or trusted networks is a game-changer.

Quick heads-up, we're looking for a handful of founders to test our new AI-powered Smart90 Lite app. It's built to help you stay accountable and actually deliver on your goals, in just a few minutes a day. It's free while we're in testing, and your feedback will directly shape the final version. You can get access by emailing [email protected].

Make sure you don't miss any future episodes by subscribing to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts, and why not give us a follow.

For now, continue listening for the full discussion with Lindsey.

Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.

If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here:

https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin

You can get in touch with Kevin here:

[email protected]

Kevin's Book Is Here!

Drawing on BizSmart's own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.

More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/

Lindsey can be found here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-burden/

https://lindseyburden.com/

Resources:

The Inside Out Revolution by Michael Neill - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-inside-out-revolution-the-only-thing-you-need-to-know-to-change-your-life-forever-michael-neill/2370700?ean=9781781800799&next=t

Atomic Habits by James Clear - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/atomic-habits-the-life-changing-million-copy-1-bestseller-james-clear/2458373?ean=9781847941831&next=t

The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks - https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-big-leap/gay-hendricks/9780061735363

Heartbeat online platform - https://www.heartbeat.chat

The Art of Sales, Self-Awareness and Scaling

Featuring Dr Muddassir Ahmed (SCM DOJO) and Rachael Jackson (WIBN Birmingham) Produced with the aid of AI

In this episode of ScaleUp Radio Shorts, Kevin Brent and Louise Blunt reflect on two powerful – and very different – scaling journeys.

On one side, Dr Muddassir Ahmed, founder of SCM DOJO, who built a global AI-enabled learning platform from scratch. On the other, Rachael Jackson, who chose a franchise route with WIBN Birmingham to create structure, community and flexibility – while building her passion project, Array of Light.

Two contrasting models. One shared truth: scaling demands self-awareness, discipline and resilience.

Sales Is Not Optional

Muddassir learned a hard lesson early:

You can outsource HR. You can outsource accounting. You can outsource marketing.

But you cannot outsource sales as a founder.

Despite being highly technical and data-driven, he had to personally master enterprise sales – including sending 72 emails over 18 months to land a major global brand.

The takeaway?

Polite persistence wins. Enterprise sales cycles are long. And founders must own the conversation.

Cash Flow Is Reality

Rachael's scaling journey exposed a different challenge.

Moving from corporate retail into a franchise networking model meant adjusting to the unpredictability of SME payments.

Her response?

• Save upfront
• Take no salary for 12 months
• Prioritise reinvestment and resilience

It is a disciplined approach that many founders underestimate.

Self-Awareness as a Strategic Advantage

Rachael openly discussed being diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD traits in adulthood.

Instead of seeing this as a weakness, she built systems around it:

• Time-blocked email checking
• Turning off notifications
• Choosing tools designed for dyslexic thinkers
• Delegating dense information into top-line bullet points

Self-awareness became a scaling tool.

Meanwhile, Muddassir applies "lean accountability" and daily stand-ups to manage a global team across time zones, backed by documented SOPs.

Different personalities. Same principle: structure enables scale.

AI – Tool or Transformation?

Muddassir is building agentic AI into SCM DOJO – not just generative AI that writes text, but AI agents that:

• Plan
• Analyse
• Execute workflows
• Run forecasting models
• Evaluate supplier responses

Yet even with advanced AI, he still had to build human relationships the hard way.

AI enhances. It does not replace resilience.

Two Definitions of Success

Muddassir wants SCM DOJO to become the industry standard for supply chain learning.

Rachael defines success as happiness, impact and helping women grow in confidence.

Different ambitions. Both completely valid.

The One Key Thing

Scaling is not about copying someone else's model.

It is about knowing yourself, managing your cash carefully, building repeatable systems, and staying resilient long enough to win.

Quick Heads-Up

If you want more structure and accountability in your own ScaleUp journey, explore Smart90 – our proven 90-day execution system.

And if you'd like to stay focused and actually deliver each week, try our new AI-powered Smart90 Lite. It's free while we're testing it – just email [email protected] for access.

On this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Dr. Muddassir Ahmed, the founder of SCMDOJO, a platform revolutionising access to supply chain training and consultancy.

From launching a $99/month subscription model to developing a proprietary AI consultant set to launch in March, Dr. Ahmed shares how he's turning SCMDOJO from a content platform into a cutting-edge supply chain technology business.

Highlights

• Business Model Mastery: SCMDOJO began with low-ticket courses and evolved into a hybrid model blending community, content, and consultancy.
• AI Leap: SCMDOJO Sensei is an AI agent trained on proprietary content to analyse problems, deliver expert advice, and even automate sourcing.
• Sales Wisdom: Dr. Ahmed closed a deal with LVMH after 72 emails over 1.5 years; proof that persistence pays.
• Remote Execution vs Creativity: While the team excels operationally, fostering innovation in a lean, remote setup remains the next hurdle.

Quick heads-up; we're looking for a handful of founders to test our new AI-powered Smart90 Lite app. It's built to help you stay accountable and actually deliver on your goals; in just a few minutes a day. It's free while we're in testing, and your feedback will directly shape the final version. 👉 Get access by emailing: [email protected]

Make sure you don't miss any future episodes by subscribing to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts – and why not give us a follow.

For now, continue listening for the full discussion with Muddassir.

Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.

If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here:

https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin

You can get in touch with Kevin here:

[email protected]

Kevin's Book Is Here!

Drawing on BizSmart's own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.

More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/

Muddassir can be found here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/muddassirism/

https://www.scmdojo.com/

Resources:

https://claude.ai/login

https://gemini.google.com/

https://grok.com/

https://notebooklm.google/

In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent sits down with Rachael Jackson, a dynamic entrepreneur who has turned personal challenges into entrepreneurial strengths. From launching her business through a franchise model to reframing dyslexia as a leadership asset, Rachael's story is all about strategic thinking and relentless focus.

Key Highlights

• Franchise as a Strategic Launchpad: Rachael chose a WIBN franchise to de-risk her startup journey, gaining crucial business experience and a peer network before launching her dream venture.
• Relentless Focus = Results: She became Franchisee of the Year by intentionally managing her time, prioritising member value, and building financial resilience through reinvestment.
• Neurodiversity as Strength: Diagnosed with dyslexia at 30, she harnessed it as a leadership superpower—mastering delegation, systems, and people management.
• Tech for Inclusion: She uses a dyslexia-friendly CRM (POP) to boost productivity and sidestep complexity.

The one key thing: A franchise can be more than a business – it can be a confidence-building launchpad for your bigger vision.

Quick heads-up; we're looking for a handful of founders to test our new AI-powered Smart90 Lite app. It's built to help you stay accountable and actually deliver on your goals; in just a few minutes a day. It's free while we're in testing, and your feedback will directly shape the final version.

Get access by emailing [email protected].

Don't forget to subscribe to ScaleUp Radio wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us for new episodes every week. For now, continue listening for the full discussion with Rachael.

Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.

If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here:

https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin

You can get in touch with Kevin here:

[email protected]

Kevin's Book Is Here!

Drawing on BizSmart's own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.

More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/

Rachael can be found here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-jackson-507608304/

https://arayoflight.co.uk/

https://wibn.co.uk/page/Rachael_Jackson

This week on ScaleUp Radio Shorts, Kevin and Louise unpack two fascinating recent conversations, one with Samantha Thurlow of In Collaboration, and one with Graeme Tennick of Tennick Accountants.

Different sectors. Same pivotal moment.

Both guests hit a point where "business as usual" stopped working, and had to rethink structure, mindset, and action to move forward.

🔎 What We Cover

1️⃣ The Associate Trap

Samantha built her agency on a flexible associate model. It worked, until it didn't.

Growth meant more work… but not more profit. Flexibility became a ceiling.

Her pivot? Moving towards an employee model to build stability, culture, and long-term asset value.

Lesson: Convenience can quietly cap your growth.

2️⃣ Strategy Over Volume

Samantha also shared a key observation about marketing.

AI-generated content is everywhere. But engagement is dropping when there's no strategy behind it.

More posts ≠ better marketing. Clear positioning and thinking wins.

3️⃣ The Real Reason Businesses Don't Scale

When Kevin asked Graeme the biggest barrier to growth, his answer wasn't cash flow.

It was procrastination.

We are drowning in knowledge but starved of action.

His advice is simple: Identify the biggest challenge in front of you, then take one immediate action to move it forward.

One action is progress.

4️⃣ 10x Requires Reinvention

Graeme referenced 10x Is Easier Than 2x, the idea that small growth can come from working harder, but exponential growth requires fundamentally changing how you operate.

You cannot 10x with yesterday's structure.

🎯 The One Key Thing

If you feel stuck, don't just push harder.

Change the structure or behaviour that's holding you back.

🎧 Want More?

To hear Samantha's full transition story and Graeme's Client Impact Tree framework in detail, listen to their full episodes of ScaleUp Radio.

Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode.

This episode was created using AI

In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Samantha Thurlow, founder of In Collaboration, a business support agency that's grown from offering virtual assistant services to delivering full-service strategy, admin, and marketing.

As her business evolves into a two-brand model, with the launch of Creative Bean Studios, Sam shares how she's adapting to market shifts, overcoming growing pains, and preparing for the next stage of her scaleup journey.

Key Takeaways

• Pivoting the Business Model: Sam transitioned In Collaboration from a flexible associate model to a hybrid employed team, following clear advice from her accountant. This shift was vital to improving profitability and enabling scale.
• New Brand, Same Vision: The launch of Creative Bean Studios allows her to expand specialist marketing services while focusing In Collaboration on strategic support for clients.
• Strategy Over Service: Clients are moving away from generic VA tasks to valuing strategic insight, SEO, branding, and business positioning are now in high demand.
• The Power of Vulnerability: Sam's standout message? Being open about challenges attracts support and builds trust, both in business relationships and team culture.
• AI Done Right: AI isn't a silver bullet, real results come when it's used as a tool by experienced humans, not a content factory.

The One Key Thing

Building a scalable business model sometimes means letting go of what's worked in the past. For Sam, it was moving beyond the associate model to unlock long-term sustainability and growth.

Quick heads-up, we're looking for a handful of founders to test our new AI-powered Smart90 Lite app. It's built to help you stay accountable and actually deliver on your goals, in just a few minutes a day. It's free while we're in testing, and your feedback will directly shape the final version. You can get access by emailing [email protected].

Make sure you don't miss any future episodes by subscribing to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts – and why not give us a follow?

For now, continue listening for the full discussion with Sam.

Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.

If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here:

https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin

You can get in touch with Kevin here:

[email protected]

Kevin's Latest Book Is Available!

Drawing on BizSmart's own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.

More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/

Samantha can be found here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthathurlow/

https://www.instagram.com/incollaboration/

https://www.facebook.com/InCollaborationAgency

https://incollaboration.co.uk/

Resources:

Blockworks - https://blockworks.co/

Atomic Habits by James Clear - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/atomic-habits-the-life-changing-million-copy-1-bestseller-james-clear/2458373?ean=9781847941831&next=t

Dear Female Founder by Lu Li - https://amzn.eu/d/0ikvYiaG

Brene Brown - https://brenebrown.com/

Asana - https://asana.com/